Relationships, Sex and Health Education

At our school, RSHE sits within our wider whole-school approach to ensuring pupils are safe, happy, and well prepared for life beyond school. It is a key part of our skills-based curriculum, supporting pupils to develop healthy relationships, personal wellbeing, and an understanding of themselves and others. 

Our RSHE curriculum is carefully designed to meet the needs of our learners. Lessons are developmentally appropriate and adapted to reflect each pupil’s communication style, level of understanding, and individual needs. We use a range of visual supports, including resources from the Sex Factor programme developed by Chailey Heritage Foundation School, alongside simplified language and sensory approaches to ensure content is accessible and meaningful. 

Through RSHE, pupils are supported to: 

• Develop an understanding of positive and meaningful relationships, including friendships, family connections, and personal boundaries  
• Learn about personal safety, including online safety, recognising unsafe situations, and knowing who to seek help from  
• Understand physical and emotional changes in ways that are appropriate to their age and stage of development  
• Explore concepts of consent and personal autonomy, including their right to say no and the importance of respecting others’ boundaries  

Our curriculum is supported by the PSHE Association SEND framework, which underpins our planning and ensures a structured, progressive approach to learning. 

RSHE is closely linked to and reinforced by our wider school policies, including behaviour, inclusion, safeguarding, and anti-bullying. We recognise that our pupils may be particularly vulnerable, and our curriculum is carefully sequenced to equip them with the knowledge and skills to navigate a range of situations safely, confidently, and positively, helping to prevent harm before it occurs. 

Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their child from some or all of the sex education elements of RSHE. There is no right to withdraw from Relationships Education or Health Education, as these are statutory. Any requests for withdrawal should be made in writing to the Headteacher ehayward@pond-meadow.surrey.sch.uk, and we encourage families to discuss this with the school. In line with statutory guidance, pupils can choose to opt into sex education themselves from three terms before their 16th birthday.